If you’re familiar with YOTEL, you know that the brand is modeled after the Japanese capsule hotel concept. But from its early days, the hotel company has transformed into a more well-rounded offering with rooms ranging in size from petite to standard hotel size and even some suites. There is also Yotelpad, designed more around extended stays with kitchenette facilities in rooms.
The brand is in growth mode with properties being added around the world. We took a look at the central London hotel to see what it had to offer. Here are our five favorite reasons to stay at YOTEL London City.
The location
I had arrived from Gatwick airport and was departing from Heathrow. Traveling by either train or the Underground was a cinch and took around 45 minutes to both airports via Farringdon Station without having to change trains. The convenience alone was exceptional.
This area of London has several financial offices, but is also particularly close to the Globe Theater, Tate Modern Museum and St. Paul’s Cathedral (the first two are just across the river, walking distance). Tube stations connect you with other parts of the city adding great connectivity. The hotel is on the edge of the Clerkenwall area and sits within the City of London’s Square Mile.
The rooms
YOTEL is masterful at using every inch of the room wisely. Booked into a Premium Queen room (one step above the smallest Queen room), a flip of a switch converted my sofa into a bed at night. This allowed for more space in the room during the day when not using the bed. An open-plan vanity was tucked into one corner with fragrant toiletries on hand. Behind frosted glass doors were the toilet and shower with excellent pressure.
The view from my room looked out over St. Paul’s and the area skyline. Easy-access power and USB ports were in all the right places, and drawers and cupboards were tucked under the bed, another space-saving move.
Rooms grow in size from there. Premium Triple rooms continue the thoughtful use of space by hanging a third twin bed from the ceiling (a sort of bunk bed concept). First Class rooms here are actually the size of many standard London hotel rooms in other properties with the VIP room adding more sitting space.
Other categories include a solo room with twin bed, ideal for teenagers traveling with their parents or business travelers on a budget. There are also rooms with bunk beds or handicapped-accessible facilities.
The technology
Aside from super-speedy Wi-Fi that took just a few seconds to connect to, a lot of the hotel functionality is self-service. For example, when you check in, it’s just a quick swipe of your credit card and entering your personal detail, and the machine makes the key for you. There is staff available to help, but there’s never a need to wait in line.
Also in the lobby is a coffee machine, snacks and sundries available for sale. You just swipe the items you want and charge it to your room. A basement meeting room provides space for small get togethers, if needed, but the bar is also good for that (especially if you want a little natural light).
The hotel offers several packages that include this type of remote work service. One is a day pass with early check-in, late checkout and all-you-can-drink coffee or tea plus other food and beverage discounts. Another tacks on a bottomless Prosecco brunch for 90 minutes (you know, if you’re entertaining a client) plus two brunch dishes from the menu.
The dining
I was surprised to find a full-service restaurant and bar, Revolve, in the lobby. While food and beverage service is not new to YOTEL, sometimes the social space can be bite-sized. Not here. Local brews were on tap, and the menu looked intriguing. A proper English breakfast was in the cards the next morning for me, and I appreciated that there were different types of seating, like rounded booths great for co-working and plugging into nearby sockets.
On weekends, Revolve even offers an “anti-happy” hour. It works by downloading an app that blocks your social media apps for an hour so that you can connect with real people in real life at the bar. And when it comes time to work off the calories, the hotel has a 24-hour fitness center.
The rewards
This year, YOTEL announced a new partnership with Hilton Honors that will see members able to earn and redeem points during their stay. This means that YOTEL properties around the world will not be bookable via Hilton’s channels, and that members with elite status can take advantage of perks like bonus points and late checkout.
